How much do restaurant name badges cost?
Restaurant name badges at NameBadge.com cost $7.49-$18.99 per badge depending on material and quantity. Standard full-color plastic badges with magnetic backs start at $7.49. Engraved metal badges for fine dining run $12.99-$18.99. Bulk discounts kick in at 5+ badges (7% off) and scale up to 27%+ off for orders of 100+. All prices include free shipping—no hidden fees or setup charges. For a small restaurant ordering 20 badges, you're looking at roughly $6.99/badge with the volume discount.
What is the best name badge for restaurant staff?
For most restaurants, we recommend full-color sublimation printed plastic badges with magnetic backs. The sublimation process embeds the ink INTO the material so it survives sanitizers, grease, and constant wiping. Magnetic fasteners keep the badge secure during active service without poking holes in uniforms. For fine dining, consider engraved metal badges in brushed silver or gold for a more elegant look. Fast food and QSR environments do best with durable plastic that can handle daily abuse. We don't recommend pin-back badges for food service—they're a contamination risk and damage uniforms.
How fast can you deliver restaurant name badges?
Standard production is 1-3 business days with free shipping (3-5 days via USPS/UPS). Rush orders can ship same day if placed before noon Eastern—call us at 1-800-977-0585 for rush service. We produce everything in our Florida and South Carolina facilities, not overseas, so we can move fast when you need us to. Opening a new location? We've shipped 500+ badges overnight for restaurant grand openings. Most orders arrive within one week of ordering.
Can restaurant name badges be sanitized and cleaned?
Yes—this is actually a major advantage of our badges. Wipe them with sanitizer, soap, commercial cleaners, or quaternary ammonium compounds used in food service. The sublimation printing is embedded into the material, not printed on top, so it won't rub off, fade, or deteriorate from cleaning. Many restaurant managers tell us their staff clean badges daily and they still look new after a year. This is where cheap badges fail—surface-printed badges start looking terrible after a few weeks of sanitation.
Is there a minimum order for restaurant badges?
No minimum order—you can order just 1 badge or 1,000. This matters for restaurants because you're constantly hiring and replacing staff. Once you've designed your badge, we save it in your account forever. When a new server starts, you can reorder in about 30 seconds—just log in, enter the name, checkout. Ships next business day. No setup fees for reorders, no minimums. High-turnover restaurants love this because you're not stuck ordering badges you don't need.
Do you work with multi-location restaurant chains?
Yes, we work with chains of all sizes—from 3-location local groups to national franchises with hundreds of stores. We offer centralized corporate accounts with: master design templates any location can order from, different ship-to addresses per location, consolidated billing to corporate, location-specific variations (like adding the location name to each badge), and volume pricing across all locations combined. Many franchise owners set up their design once and just have each GM reorder as needed with their own names.
What's the difference between NameBadge.com and cheaper badge sites?
The main differences are durability and quality control. We use sublimation printing that goes INTO the material (survives sanitizers) versus surface printing that wipes off. Our magnets are rare-earth neodymium that holds through thick aprons—cheap badges use weak magnets that fall into food. Every order is reviewed by a real designer who checks your logo quality and text sizing before printing. We manufacture in the USA (Florida and South Carolina) which means faster shipping and someone you can actually call if there's an issue. Restaurants switch to us after cheap badges fail in 2 months—ours last years.
Should restaurant badges show first name only or full name?
Most restaurants use first name only for servers and front-of-house staff. It's friendlier and more approachable for customer interactions ("Hi, I'm Sarah and I'll be your server"). Managers often include their title (e.g., "Mike - Manager") for clarity. Fine dining may use full names for a more formal feel. Fast food typically uses first name only in large, readable font. The key is readability—customers should be able to read the name from several feet away. We recommend at least 24pt font for names in restaurant environments.
Are magnetic name badges safe in restaurant kitchens?
Yes, magnetic badges are generally safer than pin-back badges in food service. Pin badges can come undone and fall into food (contamination risk) or poke holes in uniforms. Magnetic badges hold more securely through aprons and chef coats. The only people who should NOT wear magnetic badges are those with pacemakers or implanted medical devices—strong magnets can interfere with these devices. We always recommend offering pin-back alternatives for any employees with pacemakers. Most restaurants have switched to magnetic for safety and uniform protection.
Can I add my restaurant logo to the name badges?
Yes—logo inclusion is standard and free with every badge. Just upload your logo file when designing (PNG, JPG, PDF, AI, or EPS formats work). If your logo file is low quality or pixelated, our designers will contact you before printing. We can often recreate or clean up logos at no extra charge. For restaurant groups, we can also create badges with multiple logos (corporate + location) or custom shapes that match your brand aesthetic. The logo is printed using the same sublimation process as the text, so it won't fade or scratch off.
